The National Security Agency’s well documented programs to monitor the private communications of U.S. citizens have been found to trample Americans’ 4th amendment right against unreasonable search and seizure.

“State resources and personnel should never support mass spying on innocent Alaskans by the federal government,” stated Senator Wielechowski.

Many other states are considering similar provisions, including Washington, Utah, Arizona, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, Vermont, and South Carolina. The amendment rests on the widely accepted legal principle known as the “anti-commandeering doctrine,” which says that the federal government cannot require a state to carry out federal acts.

Numerous states and communities are directly or indirectly being asked to support the NSA’s mass spying program. Senator Wielechowski’s amendment urges the Governor to ban that support in Alaska, unless the NSA has specific search warrants granted by a law enforcement agency to carry out a clearly defined and legal investigation.

“We must protect Alaskans from this indiscriminate surveillance into our private communications. It is unconstitutional and just plain wrong,” said Senator Wielechowski.